Candidates weigh in: Donald N. Bersoff, PhD, JD

June 2010, Vol 41, No. 6

Print version: page 83

Q1. What do you see as three of the biggest challenges facing psychology in the next 10 years?

1. Psychology is often seen as consisting of disparate contradictory theories. I would convene a summit with the theme of emphasizing common ground, promoting cohesion, toward the goal of developing a unified theory of behavior.

2. Promote the integration of science into practice by adopting empirically supported best practices without precluding the development of new ideas. This will ensure psychology&apos;s central role in the new health-care environment.

3. Strengthen the perception that psychology acts in the public interest. We must promote psychology as an ethical, moral profession whose practice and research influence positive public policy and enhance the public interest.

Q2. What would you do to lead the profession to address the needs of an increasingly diverse and global society?

By 2040, non-Hispanic whites will be in the minority in the United States. Our clients will be immigrants from every corner of the globe. Our profession is ill-prepared to serve these potential clients because very few current clinicians know their culture or language. We are in danger of becoming obsolete. As an essential priority of my presidency, I will convene a group of distinguished and diverse psychologists whose aims will be to develop plans to attract and train ethnically and culturally sophisticated practitioners and to promulgate appropriate training curricula so that these future practitioners may serve their ethnic counterparts effectively.